


No Need for Fake Flirting

by scrubclub



Series: AryaxGendry Week 2018 [7]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 18:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15467583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrubclub/pseuds/scrubclub
Summary: Written for AryaxGendry Week 2018 Day 7: "That's Not What I Meant"Arya needs a fake boyfriend & Gendry doesn't really get a say in the matter.





	No Need for Fake Flirting

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt was very hard so I just ending up with something super silly and fluffy about two idiots who need a push to admit that they like each other. Apologies to Ned Dayne for making him an ass.

“ _What_?” He yelled, leaning down to hear her better.

“I said - ,” Arya started, but Gendry shook his head again. She sighed in frustration and grabbed his arm to lead him away from the speaker they were standing under. “There,” she said, stopping beside a staircase. Margaery Tyrell had rented out all three floors of the club for her birthday party. It was crowded, dark, and _loud_. The bass-heavy music thumped aggressively and made Arya’s ears hurt. 

“What were you trying to say?” Gendry asked, more audible now. 

“That Ned guy is here,” Arya said, “The one my mum keeps trying to set me up with.” 

“Oh,” Gendry said, frowning, “The one who keeps asking you out?” Arya scowled and nodded. 

“Yes, that one. No matter what I do, he won’t take the hint!” Her mother was not helping her case, always inviting the Dayne family over and cooing about how much of a gentleman Ned was. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I told him I was here with my boyfriend and you’re that boyfriend, so if anyone asks, we’re dating tonight.” Gendry froze with his beer bottle at his lips. 

“You _what_?” he asked, his eyes like saucers. She had been worried he would react like this. He had been the only choice for a fake boyfriend, she figured. No one knew her as well as Gendry did, so it would be an easy facade to pull off. There really was no other option. Her lie definitely had nothing to do with his ocean-blue eyes or how right it felt when he hugged her or the way she’d sometimes find herself daydreaming about what it might be like to kiss him (very, very good was her general conclusion). 

“I panicked,” Arya said, shrugging, “It’s only one night, come on. I’ll buy you one of those pitas you always crave when you’re drunk.” He raised his eyebrows at her and sighed, shaking his head. _Is the thought of dating me really so bad?_ Arya was about to offer up a month’s worth of pitas when she saw a blond head approaching. “Please, Gendry, just for tonight.” She gave him a pleading look. 

“Arya!” Ned said, smiling brightly. He turned to Gendry and looked him up and down. “So you guys are a thing now?” Arya held her breath. Gendry smiled at Ned. 

“Yeah,” he said, putting his arm around Arya and pulling her to his side. Her heart sped up at an embarrassing rate. “It’s new but it’s pretty great.” 

She beamed at him and then at Ned, who nodded. “Cool,” he said dully, “Very cool. I’ll see you around, yeah?” He made it clear that he was speaking to Arya exclusively. Gendry pulled her tighter to him. 

“Sure, Ned,” she said. Gendry continued to hold her as Ned walked away. “You can probably let go now,” she said after a few moments, and he hastily released her, looking sheepish. 

“Sorry,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “That guy just rubs me the wrong way.” Arya nodded in assent. 

“Tell me about it. Thanks, though. I meant what I said about the pita.” He shook his head, but he was smiling. 

\- 

“Arya Stark!” 

Arya jumped as she reached for the paper towel dispenser. She turned to see Sansa and Margaery at the entrance to the bathroom, both of them looking pristine, glittery, and scandalized. 

“Can you explain why I had to hear about you and Gendry finally getting together from Ned Dayne?” Arya cringed. _Wait… what does she mean by ‘finally’?_

“Um,” she started, but Sansa wasn’t done. 

“I thought you might be wanting to keep it quiet so I left it alone but _Ned Dayne_ gets to hear about it before me?” 

“And me!” Margaery added, “I’ve been saying you two should date since, like, your freshman year.” Both girls looked deeply betrayed. Arya looked around - there were too many girls in this bathroom, which mean that there were too many ways for the truth to get back to Ned. She sighed. 

“He saw us holding hands and asked!” She said, hoping that she sounded convincing. “We weren’t totally ready to tell everyone but we didn’t want to lie either,” she lied. “It’s new, you know?” 

Sansa’s anger melted and Margaery beamed at that. “Oh Arya, this is wonderful! You two are so adorable,” Sansa cried, and a few girls in line that Arya was almost sure she had never met nodded along. 

Arya put on her best smile. “We sure are! He’s probably wondering where I am, though.”

“Of course!” Sansa said, still smiling, “Go, go, go!” Arya smiled as she slipped past them

“Oh, Arya, by the way, that dress is amazing,” Margaery cooed, “Gendry must be dying to get you home.” Arya smiled weakly and left, desperately trying to shake the image that Margaery had just planted in her mind.

-

“Sansa and Margaery also think we’re dating, by the way.” This time, Gendry spat his beer out. 

“ _Why_?” he demanded. 

“Because Ned told them we were so I had to - ugh, they’re looking over here like we’re zoo animals. Hold my hand or something.” Gendry hesitated. “Just do it!” Arya insisted. He surprised her then by reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear. She froze, deeply aware that her face was as red as the Solo cup in her hand. She glanced at Sansa and Margaery, who both looked close to tears of joy. Arya turned back to Gendry, who shrugged. 

“I figured it was less weird than randomly grabbing your hand.” He emptied his bottle, “Do you think they’re convinced?” Arya nodded and offered to go get him another drink, hoping that by the time she returned her face would be slightly less pink. 

-

Arya ordered a beer for Gendry and a refill for herself and waited, trying to ignore the tingling feeling that remained where he had touched her. 

“Very chivalrous of you,” a voice said. She turned to see Ned Dayne at her side. 

“Pardon me?” she asked, trying her best to be polite.

“Getting the drinks. Usually the gentleman gets the lady her drink. Though I’m not sure I’d quie classify him as a gentleman.” Arya followed his gaze to Gendry. His hair was as unruly, as it always was. His clothes were casual but Arya thought they suited him, even his scuffed-up boots. Sure, he would fit in better at a grungy concert than at one of Margaery Tyrell’s legendary soirées, but that was what she liked about him. 

“Good,” Arya said, grabbing her drinks, “because I’m not a lady.” 

\- 

Gendry thanked Arya for the beer and tapped it against her cup before drinking. “Best fake girlfriend ever,” he said with smile. Arya rolled her eyes.

“You’ve already fake got me, there’s no need for fake flirting.” 

Gendry clutched his chest mockingly. “I just couldn’t bear to fake lose you,” he said, feigning agony. Arya shoved him, laughing. He looked past her and froze. 

“What?” she said, turning to see Gendry’s sister positively beaming at them. 

“I think Sansa and Margaery might have talked to Mya…,” he said, as Arya watched Mya clutch her chest and say something that looked an awful lot like ‘finally’. 

“They’re all going to be so pissed when they find out,” Arya said, nervously biting her lip. 

“Dayne is annoying enough to make it worthwhile,” Gendry shrugged, “Let’s go make fun of people dancing.” 

\- 

Gendry returned with their refills and a scowl on his face. “What’s up?” Arya asked, and he shrugged. 

“Ran into Dayne at the bar,” he said, handing her the drink. “I don’t blame you for wanting to dodge that bullet at all costs.” His voice was odd, the way it got when he was trying to hide something. 

“What did he say?” She asked. 

“Nothing,” Gendry said, sipping his beer. 

“Tell me!”

“I’m serious, it was nothing!” She could always tell when he was lying.

“Gendry,” she said, putting on her most serious voice, “tell me or else I’ll just assume it was something horrible and I’ll have to go and hit him. Do you really want me to get kicked out of the club, Gendry? Remember last time?” He sighed and gave her a look of exasperation. 

“He was just talking about your family.” Arya straightened her shoulders. “No,” he said, “nothing bad about them. He was just going on about how weird it must be for someone like me to, you know, spend time with you guys, or whatever.” He mumbled the last part and looked away, as if something interesting was happening on the opposite wall. 

Arya spun away but he caught her elbow and swung her back. The momentum surprised them both, pulling her into his chest briefly. She stepped back and tried to free her arm. “Let go of me, Gendry,” she demanded and he shook his head.

“I am _not_ letting you go assault Ned Dayne,” he said, almost smiling at her look of determination, “He is not worth it.”

“I’m not going to assault him, I’m going to kill him.”

“Arya!” He was laughing now, “I appreciate you defending my honour, but I am not letting you do this.” She narrowed her eyes at him, her elbow still in his hand. It was then that she realized how close they were standing and her plans to punch Ned were pushed aside in favour of the close-up view she had of his eyelashes. Had they always been so long? 

“I knew it!” The voice made them both jump, prompting Gendry to finally release Arya’s elbow. “I _knew_ you guys liked each other!” Shireen was looking between them, positively thrilled. 

“Shireen, it’s -,”

“I cannot believe you didn’t tell me!” She said, pulling Arya into a quick hug and punching Gendry’s arm. “Gods, that dress of hers must be killing you, Gendry.” She chastised them for their secrecy once more and left them swiftly, neither willing to look at the other for a few moments. 

-

Overall, it felt like every other party Arya had attended with Gendry. The differences were subtle - a hand on her back as they walked up the stairs and an arm draped over her shoulder when they sat down. He played his part well, even when Ned Dayne was nowhere to be seen. 

Half of her was loving every minute of being Gendry’s girlfriend. The other half was wishing it wasn’t just for tonight. 

They were discussing the terrible movie they had seen the week prior when Arya noticed Ned approaching them. “Oh gods,” Arya groaned, “he’s coming over again. I can’t talk to him, Gendry. I will hit him if he says a word to us.” Gendry exhaled in exasperation.

“This guy really doesn’t give up, does he?” Arya shook her head. 

“The best way to avoid conversation is to look really busy,” she said frantically, “I could pretend I have an important phone call to make... at 1am. Okay, I could pretend to be sick! Feel my head, pretend I have a fever. Or -,” Gendry’s lips cut her off, wiping all of the other bad ideas from her mind and replacing them with only the feeling of his lips on hers, at once gentle and firm. She became conscious of his hands as he pulled her to him. One hugged the small of her back and the other was on her neck, holding her steady as he moved his lips against hers. She kissed him back earnestly, her hands on his shoulders. It was everything Arya had imagined it might be, and then it was over.

He pulled away and reality came crashing down on Arya. _He kissed you to keep Ned from bothering you._ Her heart sank. 

“Why did you do that?” She asked, still a little bit dazed. His eyes, which had been a little out of focused, snapped to attention and flickered between hurt and confused. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, stepping away, his expression pained. He hesitated before continuing, “I don’t think I can pretend to be your boyfriend, Arya.” He pushed past her towards the exit before she could respond. She stood stunned for a moment before rushing after him. 

_There are too many people in this club_ , she decided as she squeezed through the crowded dance floor. She spotted Gendry’s conspicuously tall head leave through a side door and followed him out of the club into a dirty alleyway. “Gendry!” she said, “I just wanted to know -” 

“I’m an idiot, Arya!” he said steadily, turning to face her. He looked miserable. “I kissed you because I’m an idiot who couldn’t keep his feelings in check for one night while I was supposed to be doing you a favour. I’m sorry for kissing you and I’m sorry if that’s ruined our friendship I just - ,” he paused and ran a hand through his hair, searching for words. She stared at him. He thought she was mad at him?

“That’s not what I meant,” she said. He blinked, confused. “You haven’t ruined anything. I asked why you did it because I wanted to know if it was to keep Ned away or if it was because you wanted to,” She swallowed. “Because I wanted you to. Like, a lot.”

He stared at her in shock for a moment. “Seriously?” She nodded. His face relaxed and he smiled at her, a trace of disbelief still evident in his eyes. “Can my answer to your question be ‘both’?” Again, she nodded and he stepped toward her, once again tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes fixed on hers. 

Arya stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, throwing her arms around her neck and pulling their bodies together. Any hesitation that had existed in their first kiss was gone. Her lips roamed over his eagerly as he held her tight to him, his fingers tangling in her hair. The door banged open and they jumped apart. A drunk girl that Arya was pretty sure had been in the line for the bathroom giggled as her friend helped keep her upright. Arya and Gendry waited silently, not looking away from each other as the girls made their way to the main road. 

“Your apartment is close,” Arya noted after a moment, a little breathless. Gendry nodded. “Do you - I mean, I feel like we have a lot to, uh, talk about.” He smiled and nodded again, and the look in his eyes made her entire body feel a little tingly. “Cool,” she continued, “We just have one stop to make along the way.” She grabbed his hand and started on their way. 

“Where do we need to stop?” Gendry asked, an eyebrow raised.

She shrugged. “I owe you a pita.”


End file.
